Art and Handcraft in the Woman's Building
of the World's Columbian Exposition

130 ART AND HANDICRAFT Massachusetts Report: “ The returns prove what reason would predict, that there is the same difference between, trained and untrained teachers as in all other occupations and professions.” While established mainly to provide competent teachers, the normal system has benefited women by introducing them into an admirable field of employment with special training. It used to be a current saying: “ If a father dies, the daughter goes to the normal school.” The lesson of preparation was sadly needed by women. Education as a training for a distinct calling was almost unknown among them. They were supposed to know “ by intui- tion,” and they gained such knowledge as became necessary in practical life in a hap-hazard way, going mostly to the hard school of Experience, whose lessons are indeed valuable, but often pur- chased at a terrible price. The great business of housekeeping was committed to women, but no training in chemistry or sanitary laws, or economy of food or fuel, was considered necessary to prepare her for the work. She was the nurse of the sick, and often, in early days, the mid- wife and doctor, but she was only furnished with a rude mass of traditional or empirical knowledge, which had no basis in scientific reasoning. She only knew of law by feeling its hand heavy upon her, and, like Anne Hutchinson, found it perilous to think freely for herself in matters of religion. Even in artistic pursuits the idea of train- ing had hardly entered her mind. It was indeed necessary to spend many hours at the piano to accomplish playing the “ Battle of Prague ” with the necessary dash, but nobody dreamed of any acquaintance with the science of music; and as regards drawing, when the School of Design for women was opened in 1851, the young applicants were appalled on learning that six months’ train- ing would be required before they could hope for remunerative employment. But one step leads to another, and having once tasted the delights of learning, women were not content with the academy and high school, when they saw their brothers going to the university. Two important colleges for women, Wellesley and Smith, have been endowed by private gifts. They are both flourishing and doing good service; but of greater moment was the opening of Boston University in 1871, which gives to women equal opportu- nity with men in all departments, and the opening of the Institute of Technology to women on perfectly equal terms with men.